Where’s the steeple? Rainwater damage requires repairs estimated at $385,000

January 2011 Posted in News | Comments Off

By Don MurthaA church steeple should be on top of a tower where people can gaze up at it.So why is the steeple from St. Mary’s Catholic Church going to be resting in the church’s parking lot?And why will there ...

Full house: Citizens turn out to address friction on Silverton City Council

January 2011 Posted in Community, News | Comments Off

By Paula Mabry There were no pitchforks at the Jan. 3 Silverton City Council meeting, despite the fliers displayed in downtown businesses in the days prior urging residents to “Grab your pitchfork and rally to support our mayor.” But members of the ...

Silverton Chamber announces 2010 First Citizen honorees

January 2011 Posted in News, People | Comments Off

They are the people who go above and beyond to serve their community. And once a year, citizens of Silverton gather to honor and thank them for their dedication to their community. The 40th annual Silverton Chamber of Commerce First Citizen ...

Ducks in the desert: Local fans cheer for Ducks at BCS game

January 2011 Posted in People | Comments Off

By Steve Ritchie The University of Oregon football team’s amazing journey to the national championship game ended Monday night in the Arizona desert, with a hard-fought, last-second 22-19 loss to the Auburn Tigers. But for thousands of Duck fans, including this writer ...

The advocate: David Beeson believes society’s success depends on education

January 2011 Posted in People, School | 1 Comment »

By Brenna Wiegand David Beeson of Silverton embarks on his second term as president of the Oregon School Boards Association this month. Having filled the office in 2005-2006, Beeson is the first person to serve twice in this capacity in OSBA’s ...

Stitching lives together: Quilters created warmth, friendship

January 2011 Posted in Arts, Culture & History | Comments Off

Oregon Garden quilt show schedule Feathered Star quilt workshop Jan. 26 and 27. Space limited. www.oregongarden.org for details. Stitches in Bloom Sneak Peak 4-6 p.m. Jan. 27 $15, advance ticket sales only. 503-874-2536 or visit www.oregongarden.org. Stitches in Bloom Quilt Show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 28 ...

Man About Town: If those walls could talk… you’d be in big trouble mister

January 2011 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

By Jim Kinghorn Local photographer and art maven Barry Shapiro is working on a program to beautify downtown Silverton. The June Drake Photography Center will be a mobile gallery that will take up residence in one of the empty storefronts with ...

Robotics: Students at state meet

January 2011 Posted in School | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas Bethany Charter School eighth-grade student Ian Palmer can’t decide if he wants to be a master chef or a robotics engineer. His teammates for the school’s robotics club have an answer for Palmer. “You can design a robot that cooks ...

People Out Loud: Keeping things cool

January 2011 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

By Dixon Bledsoe There’s a line from an old country song: “It’s my belief pride is the chief cause in the decline of husbands and wives.” I started to sing it in the shower though it has not entered my head ...

The Old Curmudgeon: Cattle thieves and other criminals

January 2011 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

By Vern Holmquist I recently received a letter from a reader who thought I was picking on the rich. He may be right and I appreciate his letter. Perhaps, I do have a tainted view.I was raised in Montana, the entire ...

New outlook, new effort: Elise Agenbroad has learned a lot about ‘can do’ attitude

January 2011 Posted in People | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas Pratum Elementary School eighth-grade student Elise Agenbroad no longer feels alone in the world. During the summer of 2010,  Elise went to an amputee camp in Ohio, a burn victims’ camp in Colorado and an International Firefighters camp in ...

Serving up community: Kurt and Summer Barnes turn a setback into a fresh start

January 2011 Posted in Business | Comments Off

By Dixon Bledsoe Watch Kurt Barnes make a sandwich and there’s no indication he feels like his right hand is in boiling water. Smiling and gregarious, he goes about his tasks at Gear-Up Espresso coffee shop with ease and professionalism. In 2009 Barnes’ ...

Establishing priorities: Marie Traeger sets goals to stay healthy

January 2011 Posted in People, Your Health | Comments Off

By Kristine Thomas Marie Traeger has discovered a secret to sticking to an exercise plan. It’s not about losing weight, she said, adding she realizes regardless of how many hours she exercises she’ll never be a “skinny-minnie.” And it’s not about exercising to ...

Retiring: Les Keele to return to Bend

January 2011 Posted in News, School | Comments Off

After 31 years as an educator, Mark Twain Middle School Principal Les Keele has decided it’s time to retire. He was a classroom teacher for 25 years and an administrator for six years, including three years at Mark Twain Middle ...

Trying again: Skatepark grants

January 2011 Posted in News | Comments Off

By Dixon Bledsoe The $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant sought after by the Silverton Community SkatePark project committee will make another run for the funds in January. Pepsi, which created the grants in lieu of Super Bowl advertising in order to help worthwhile ...

The No-buddy rule: Many new drivers skirt six-month license restrictions

January 2011 Posted in Other | Comments Off

By Aurora Ellison To most 16-year-old kids, six months seems like forever. According to an Oregon law, young drivers in the first six months after receiving their license are prohibited from transporting passengers younger than 20 years old, except for immediate family ...

Something for the Soul: Wisdom from Tom – How we treat each other matters

January 2011 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

By Winnie Bolton Note to readers: My husband, Tom Bolton, was Mount Angel’s mayor from 1996 to 2002. I sincerely feel he would like to send a concerned message to our town that the discontentment which has arisen the last few ...

Downsizing: Group supports aids weight-loss efforts

January 2011 Posted in Your Health | Comments Off

By Kathy Cook Hunter TOPS Programs Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. St. Paul Catholic Church 1410 Pine St., Silverton 503-873-3504. Fridays, 9 a.m. First Baptist Church 229 Westfield St., Silverton 503-873-8246 Is it “my time” to deal with my excess weight? While many of us are asking ourselves that question at ...

A change for the better: Program helps people get fit, lose weight and be healthy

January 2011 Posted in Your Health | Comments Off

By Brenna Wiegand Eight Weeks to Wellness A lifestyle change and health enchancement program to help people get fit, lose weight and feel good. Sunday evenings, Jan. 9 - Feb. 27, 6:30-8 p.m., Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1159 Oak St. $25 (provision may be made for those who can’t afford ...

A Grin at the End: Puppygate defeat

January 2011 Posted in Columnists & Opinion | Comments Off

By Carl Sampson Unlike my many young friends who believe civilization began with the invention of the Internet — thanks for nothing, Al Gore — I can’t wait for the time when we all get our heads back together and communicate ...